INSURANCE

Insurance is always essential, but changing or adding to your sales model may mean you need to stop and check your existing insurance policy. It’s worth calling your existing provider and talking to them about your proposed changes.

The CSA Network and Community Land Advice have both produced guides to insurance. The guides review several types of insurance including Public, Employer’s and Product liability: https://communitysupportedagriculture.org.uk/resource/insurance/ https://en.communitylandadvice.org.uk/en/resource/overview-insurance

Below is a non-exhaustive list of the primary insurance types to consider:
 * Public liability insurance covers claims made against the policyholder for injury, loss or damage caused to any person as a result of negligence. School groups or groups of vulnerable adults may need special insurance cover, possibly with special facilities (such as for hand washing) as a condition of cover. Check with your insurer and make sure you are covered before inviting them.
 * Employer’s liability provides insurance against potential injury to employees and volunteers.
 * Product liability is required if you intend to sell any farm produce for consumption. This will protect the policyholder from the cost of claims arising where products sold from the farm cause injury or illness, or damage to someone else’s property.
 * Asset protection will cover farm machinery or IT equipment for any losses due to theft, fire, flood, or accidental damage.
 * Buildings insurance covers buildings in case of structural damage.
 * Stallholder insurance adds income protection for markets missed due to accidents, and can add insurance for equipment you use at the stall.

Where to go to for insurance? You’ll want to go to an insurer that understands your set-up and has experience of dealing with farms and businesses that engage with the local community. Farmer and grower forums, such as the Landworkers’ Alliance and Organic Growers Alliance forums or Market Gardeners Facebook pages are good places to ask fellow growers for recommendations (see Resources), and the guides above point to a few recommended providers.